A Christmas Assignment
by Uncle Charlie
Summary: Napoleon knew he'd been given up for death. When an older, well-dressed Illya and a beautiful blonde stranger come into his cell, Napoleon couldn't be more surprised! Part of The 25 Days of Christmas Fic.


Reapermum betad

He'd been in the hell hole for so long, he had lost track of time. He'd tried to scratch a rude calendar in the moldy cement of his cell, but with no way of tell day from night, it was impossible to judge things accurately. Then he'd tried to mark time by meals, but they were initially erratic and now had totally stopped. If he ever got out of here, he'd be thin enough to share Illya's wardrobe.

Napoleon let his head fall back against the wall, not bothering to wince as it clunked against the unyielding concrete. His skin felt clammy and yet internally he was burning up. Breathing, thanks to the mold and damp, was getting harder and harder. Mostly he tried to sit as quietly as possible to keep from having another coughing jag. This was getting easier as his energy waned.

At first, he'd paced his cell, determined to find a weakness. He'd escaped once, but got no farther than the end of the corridor before being caught, beaten, and tossed back in his cell. His clothes were taken from him and a grimy tee shirt and torn pants were thrown at him. Normally, Napoleon wouldn't have bothered, but the dank cold forced his hand.

Napoleon knew he'd been given up for dead. Even Illya's determination wouldn't work this time. There had been no way to track him to this desolate outpost. THRUSH had finally won. Napoleon just hadn't expected to be stuck in a cold, dark hole and forgotten about. Guess he wasn't as important to THRUSH as he'd thought.

There was a noise and he struggled to sit upright. If they opened the door, he'd tried to rush it… providing he didn't fall on his nose at his first step.

Then he threw an arm over his eyes as the room grew bright.

"What a terrible place. Steel, he's in here."

The woman's voice made him dare a look and he discovered the room's brightness had dimmed somewhat. A willowy blonde stood in the middle of his cell, a dress of soft blue caressing her figure.

Napoleon opened his mouth to speak but ended up coughing instead. She was immediately at his side, supporting him and stroking his bearded cheek gently. Napoleon knew he smelled like a sewer, but he couldn't bear to pull away from her comforting arms. It had been so long since he'd had a tender touch that he'd almost forgotten what it was like.

"Finally!"

The voice did make Napoleon sit up, but then he blinked in surprise. It was Illya, but it wasn't. Unless Napoleon had been in here for much longer than he imagined, this was a much older version of his partner and yet…

"Illya?" His voice was a husky croak of its usual version.

The man scowled. "Not likely." He looked around at the walls. "And once again I am amazed at the inhumanity to which man subjects his fellow creatures. Sapphire, what is this place?"

The woman stood gracefully and walked to a wall, taking care to steer well clear of the waste bucket Napoleon had been forced to use during his time here.

Napoleon watched her touch the wall and her eyes glowed an unnatural blue. Her voice became mechanical and flat.

"Formally established as a place to seclude religious heretics."

"I thought they just burned them at the stake." Steel wiped his hands on a handkerchief as he studied the surroundings.

"Not all of them. They had to be mindful of those who might be martyred by the masses. Later it was used for political dissidents and those deemed enemies of the state."

"Amazing." Steel shook his head and looked over at Solo. "How do you people get anything accomplished at all?"

"I don't… you look so much like my partner."

"So I gathered." The man held out a container and, opening it, held it out to Napoleon. Fresh water, the first he'd had in days. Napoleon's hand trembled as he took the container. Steel kept a supportive hand on it until he was sure Napoleon had a good grip on it. "What else, Sapphire?"

"Recently, it has been held by another force, one attempting to control the world."

"Why?"

"Because they are idiots," Napoleon muttered between sips. Even as dehydrated as he was, he knew to take small sips.

Then Sapphire cried and started to collapse. Instantly Steel was there to catch her, holding her tight as she shuddered. He stroked her hair and held her head to his shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"We need to leave now, Steel. Within fifteen minutes, this place will be no more. We must have ourselves and him to safety by then."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes. I saw you destroy it."

"What? I'm not capable of that."

Napoleon got to his feet, swaying in place. "Was it an explosion?"

"It was." Sapphire was already moving towards the door, looking anxiously behind her at him.

"Then I know who does it. You know my partner, whom you look nothing like? That would be him." Napoleon took a step and nearly stumbled. "I'm not going to be able to make it."

"You must. You are the only reason we are here." Steel lifted him as if he were a small child.

"I know I've lost weight, but how?"

"I'm stronger than I look."

"Steel! Now!"

Illya Kuryakin held the detonator in his hands. There was enough explosive planted in the place to bring it down in a matter of seconds. Yet he hesitated. There was still one recon group out there and still one last hope that they could find and bring Napoleon out safely before THRUSH forced Illya's hand.

In his headphones, he listened to a babble of voices from THRUSH command as they went through their final checklist. The minute they started the countdown, he was on the path of no return. Napoleon or not, that rocket must never be launched.

_We have initiated final countdown – T-minus ten minutes and counting._ The voice made Illya's voice catch and still his finger would not press the button. He knew his duty and it made his soul scream in agony.

His communicator trilled. "Open Channel D."

"This is Recon Five. I'm sorry, Illya. We found nothing."

"Are you clear?"

"We're clear."

Illya looked around at the men watching him, their eyes saying what their voices never would. Biting his lip, Illya mentally whispered good-bye to Napoleon and punched the detonator.

The ground rocked and Illya took an involuntary step to keep upright. It would have been easier to fall to his knees and use that moment to mourn his partner, but this was not the time or place. He was the agent in charge and he needed to use his strength to lead.

"Hell of a Christmas gift," muttered one of his fellow senior agents.

"It's Christmas?" In the confusion and searching for his partner over the last few weeks, it was hard enough to remember what month it was, let alone the day.

"Yeah, sorry we couldn't give you what you wanted." He patted Illya on the shoulder and offered a sincere smile.

"But I'm so hard to wrap…" The voice was weak but recognizable.

The men spun and Napoleon was standing there. True, he was filthy and emaciated. True, he had a smell that preceded him by a good ten feet in every direction, but Illya didn't care. He ran to his partner and hugged him, purportedly to keep the man from collapsing, but, in reality, it didn't matter.

Sapphire and Steel watched from a safe distance.

_What is he talking about? I look nothing like that man._

_I can see similarities._

_I'm much taller._

Sapphire laughed softly and nodded. "You're right, you are. And much more handsome."

Steel nodded decisively. "Is that all to our assignment?"

"Yes, we were to seek and maintain Mr. Solo's survival."

"Why?"

"They didn't tell you?"

"They don't always share all Their information with me. I gather they didn't tell you either?"

"Only that everything needed to be done to assure Mr. Solo's continued survival, but I am not sure he was the principle figure in this." Sapphire watched the two men, Mr. Solo and the-man-who-didn't-look-like- Steel- at-all clone. "I think it was the partnership that was the focus here."

Steel smiled and took her hand. "I can certainly understand that. A good partner is worth having around."

"Why, Steel, you say the sweetest things." She smiled warmly at him, her eyes twinkling. "Happy Christmas, Steel."

"Peace on Earth, good will to man, even if we have to shove it down their throats." Steel kissed her hand and they drifted from view.


End file.
